"A warrant is better known as an official document relating to the apprehension of an individual or a group of people suspected of causing an offence. However, its powers extend much further. It is a writ issued by the highest authority that permits the recipient to perform a specific act. The warrants in this publication not only shed light on the function of government, but also provide valuable information on virtually every aspect of the more routine affairs of life in early modern Ireland. The 620 warrants presented here cover political, administrative, military, religious, economic, social and cultural matters in the years from 1623 to 1639"--Book jacket.